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THE death of Lord Merlyn Rees prompts Cutting Edge to recall an incident which occurred more than 30 years ago, when the then plain Merlyn Rees, the British Labour Party's 'Man in the North', visited Dublin to speak at UCD's Commerce and Economics Society.
After the debate, Rees . . .along with prominent journalist and Tory William Deedes, and the society's committee . . . adjourned to Newman House on St Stephen's Green for drinks.
Conversation was, no doubt due to the times that were in it, stifled.
A priest, who was in the company, suddenly pointed to a chair in the room and informed all that it "once belonged to Michael Collins". Both British visitors were highly impressed and took turns sitting in the chair before discussing the life and times of Collins.
When they had left, one of the company said to the priest: "I didn't know that was Michael Collins' chair."
"It wasn't, " said the priest, "but I had to do something to get the conversation going."
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YOU ARE HERE: 19 March 2007 / tribune.ie / 2006 / 01 / 08
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